Placing top vias at line ends by selective growth of via mask from line cut dielectric

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to fabrication method and resulting structures for placing self-aligned top vias at line ends of an interconnect structure. In a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, a line feature is formed in a metallization layer of an interconnect structure. The line feature can include a line hard mask. A trench is formed in the line feature to expose line ends of the line feature. The trench is filled with a host material and a growth inhibitor is formed over a first line end of the line feature. A via mask is formed over a second line end of the line feature. The via mask can be selectively grown on an exposed surface of the host material. Portions of the line feature that are not covered by the via mask are recessed to define a self-aligned top via at the second line end.

BACKGROUND

The present invention generally relates to fabrication methods andresulting structures for semiconductor devices, and more specifically,to fabrication method and resulting structures for placing self-alignedtop vias at line ends of an interconnect structure by selectivelygrowing a via mask from a line cut dielectric.

The fabrication of very large scale integrated (VLSI) or ultra largescale integrated (ULSI) circuits requires the manufacture ofsophisticated interconnect structures including metallic wiring thatconnects individual devices in a semiconductor chip to one another.Typically, the wiring interconnect network consists of two types offeatures that serve as electrical conductors, namely, line features thattraverse a distance across the chip, and via features that connect linesin different levels. The conducting metal lines and vias are made ofconductive material, such as aluminum or copper, and are electricallyinsulated by interlayer dielectrics (ILD). In a multilayeredinterconnect structure, the metallization layers are referred to as “M”layers (e.g., M1 layer, M2 layer, etc.) while “V” layers denote the viasplaced between adjacent M layers (e.g., V1 is between the M1 and M2layers).

To increase the number of circuits that can be provided on a chip, thesemiconductor industry has repeatedly shrunk the transistor gate lengthand the chip size. As a consequence, the interconnect structure thatforms the metallic circuitry has also shrunk. As integrated circuit (IC)feature sizes continue to decrease, the aspect ratio, (i.e., the ratioof height/depth to width) of features such as vias generally increases,complicating the manufacturing process. Fabricating intricate structuresof conductive interconnect layers and high aspect ratio vias withinincreasingly smaller wafer footprints is one of the mostprocess-intensive and cost-sensitive portions of semiconductor ICfabrication.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for formingself-aligned top vias at line ends of an interconnect structure. Anon-limiting example of the method includes forming a line feature in ametallization layer of the interconnect structure. The line feature caninclude a line hard mask. A trench is formed in the line feature toexpose line ends of the line feature. The trench is filled with a hostmaterial and a growth inhibitor is formed over a first line end of theline feature. A via mask is formed over a second line end of the linefeature. The via mask can be selectively grown on an exposed surface ofthe host material. Portions of the line feature that are not covered bythe via mask are recessed to define a self-aligned top via at the secondline end.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for formingself-aligned top vias at line ends of an interconnect structure. Anon-limiting example of the method includes forming a line feature in ametallization layer. The line feature can include two or more line ends.A region between a first line end and a second line end is filled with ahost material and a growth inhibitor is formed over the first line end.A via mask is selectively grown over an exposed surface of the hostmaterial. Portions of the line feature that are not covered by the viamask are recessed to define a self-aligned top via at the second lineend.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a semiconductor structure.A non-limiting example of the semiconductor device includes a linefeature in a metallization layer of an interconnect structure. Aplurality of self-aligned top vias are formed at line ends of the linefeature. The self-aligned top vias include a same critical dimension.The critical dimension is not subject to lithographic variation.

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a semiconductor structure.A non-limiting example of the semiconductor device includes a linefeature in a metallization layer of an interconnect structure. The linefeature includes a first line end and a second line end. A trench isadjacent to the first line end of the line feature. The trench includesa host material. A first top via is formed at the first line end of theline feature. The first top via includes a first critical dimension. Asecond top via is formed at the second line end of the line feature. Thesecond top via includes the first critical dimension. The first criticaldimension is not subject to lithographic variation.

Additional technical features and benefits are realized through thetechniques of the present invention. Embodiments and aspects of theinvention are described in detail herein and are considered a part ofthe claimed subject matter. For a better understanding, refer to thedetailed description and to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The specifics of the exclusive rights described herein are particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion ofthe specification. The foregoing and other features and advantages ofthe embodiments of the invention are apparent from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 depicts a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor structure afteran initial set of processing operations according to one or moreembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structureafter additional processing operations according to one or moreembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structureafter additional processing operations according to one or moreembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 4 depicts a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structureafter additional processing operations according to one or moreembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structureafter additional processing operations according to one or moreembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 6 depicts a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structureafter additional processing operations according to one or moreembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 7 depicts a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structureafter additional processing operations according to one or moreembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 8 depicts a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structureafter additional processing operations according to one or moreembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 9 depicts a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structureafter additional processing operations according to one or moreembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 10 depicts a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structureafter additional processing operations according to one or moreembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 11 depicts a cross-sectional view of the semiconductor structureafter additional processing operations according to one or moreembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 12 depicts a flow diagram illustrating a method according to one ormore embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 13 depicts a flow diagram illustrating a method according to one ormore embodiments of the invention.

The diagrams depicted herein are illustrative. There can be manyvariations to the diagram or the operations described therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the actionscan be performed in a differing order or actions can be added, deletedor modified.

In the accompanying figures and following detailed description of thedescribed embodiments of the invention, the various elements illustratedin the figures are provided with two or three-digit reference numbers.With minor exceptions, the leftmost digit(s) of each reference numbercorrespond to the figure in which its element is first illustrated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is understood in advance that although example embodiments of theinvention are described in connection with a particular transistorarchitecture, embodiments of the invention are not limited to theparticular transistor architectures or materials described in thisspecification. Rather, embodiments of the present invention are capableof being implemented in conjunction with any other type of transistorarchitecture or materials now known or later developed.

For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques related tosemiconductor device and integrated circuit (IC) fabrication may or maynot be described in detail herein. Moreover, the various tasks andprocess steps described herein can be incorporated into a morecomprehensive procedure or process having additional steps orfunctionality not described in detail herein. In particular, varioussteps in the manufacture of semiconductor devices andsemiconductor-based ICs are well known and so, in the interest ofbrevity, many conventional steps will only be mentioned briefly hereinor will be omitted entirely without providing the well-known processdetails.

Turning now to an overview of technologies that are more specificallyrelevant to aspects of the present invention, ICs are fabricated in aseries of stages, including a front-end-of-line (FEOL) stage, amiddle-of-line (MOL) stage, and a back-end-of-line (BEOL) stage. Theprocess flows for fabricating modern ICs are often identified based onwhether the process flows fall in the FEOL stage, the MOL stage, or theBEOL stage. Generally, the FEOL stage is where device elements (e.g.,transistors, capacitors, resistors, etc.) are patterned in thesemiconductor substrate/wafer. The FEOL stage processes include waferpreparation, isolation, gate patterning, and the formation of wells,source/drain (S/D) regions, extension junctions, silicide regions, andliners. The MOL stage typically includes process flows for forming thecontacts (e.g., CA) and other structures that communicatively couple toactive regions (e.g., gate, source, and drain) of the device element.For example, the silicidation of source/drain regions, as well as thedeposition of metal contacts, can occur during the MOL stage to connectthe elements patterned during the FEOL stage. Layers of interconnections(e.g., metallization layers) are formed above these logical andfunctional layers during the BEOL stage to complete the IC. Most ICsneed more than one layer of wires to form all the necessary connections,and as many as 5-12 layers are added in the BEOL process. The variousBEOL layers are interconnected by vias that couple from one layer toanother.

Insulating dielectric materials are used throughout the layers of an ICto perform a variety of functions, including stabilizing the ICstructure and providing electrical isolation of the IC elements. Forexample, the metal interconnecting wires in the BEOL region of the ICare isolated by dielectric layers to prevent the wires from creating ashort circuit with other metal layers.

The continued scaling of semiconductor devices has resulted inchallenging fabrication requirements, especially when fabricating eversmaller metallization layers. Advanced masks that incorporatephase-shifting and optical proximity correction have been employed in aneffort to satisfy these scaling demands. These techniques, however, aresubject to overlay errors between features in the interconnect structurethat can lead to reliability issues in the final device. Overlay errorsresult from misalignment during the lithography process as the maskinvariably becomes misaligned with the underlying structure. Althoughoverlay errors can be mitigated by reworking the lithography operations,some level of overlay error is unavoidable, resulting in featuremisalignments between the metallization layers.

One of the challenges in fabricating advanced metallization layers isthe difficulty in forming uniform vias at line ends (so called top vias)without any variation in via critical dimension (CD). The CD of afeature (interconnect line, contact, via, trench, etc.) refers to thesmallest geometrical dimension for that feature that can be formed(e.g., for a via the CD refers to the via width). Via CD uniformity isespecially difficult to achieve if via alignment to the line features isdone using lithography, due to the lithography limitations discussedpreviously. In particular, a finite overlay shift (misalignment) cancause a via to either move away from a target line end or to be cut offby the line end, causing a CD reduction in the via. As the overlay shiftwill not be the exact same from via to via (some will be moved away fromtheir respective target lines while others will be cut off by differentamounts), variations in via CDs are common.

Turning now to an overview of aspects of the present invention, one ormore embodiments of the invention address the above-describedshortcomings of the prior art by providing a new semiconductor structureand a method for placing self-aligned top vias at line ends byleveraging the selective growth of a via mask from a line cutdielectric.

In some embodiments of the invention, line features (metal lines andline hard masks) are first cut using lithography and an etch. The cutsare then filled with a host material selected for a subsequent selectivegrowth process. The host material further selected to be anon-dielectric and wets removable (e.g. TiN or TiOx). As used herein, a“wets removable” material refers to a material that is removable using awet etch. A lithographically patterned mask is used to cover lines thatwill have a via at one or both line ends and a growth inhibitor isapplied to the lines exposed by the mask. The growth inhibitor grafts onexposed dielectrics, but not on to the host material (e.g., a metalcontaining cut fill material), leaving a surface of the host materialexposed. A selectively grown via mask is formed (deposited) on theexposed host material.

The via mask can be a metal or dielectric (depending on the hostmaterial, e.g. TaN, TiN, Ta, Ti, W, etc.) that is grown using a precisenumber of growth cycles selected to target a specific via dimension. Thegrowth inhibitor will prevent the via mask material from growing at lineends where a via is not needed. The growth inhibitor is removed and thelines are recessed (e.g., etched) selective to the via mask to formself-aligned top vias at one or more line ends. The via mask, linehardmask, and host material is then removed and replaced withdielectrics.

Advantageously, vias formed using the selective growth of a via mask inthis manner can be self-aligned to one end or both ends of the metallines. The via CD variations which would otherwise arise fromlithographically aligning the via to a previously-formed line cut areavoided. Instead, the via CD at each line end is controlled by theamount of lateral growth of the via mask, which can be well-controlledusing a precise number growth cycles to target a specific via dimension.This greatly improves the fabrication accuracy for top vias, evenallowing top vias at extreme ends of lines (which is not possible usingconventional lithography). In other words, the present inventionprovides for top vias having invariant via widths (an invariant criticaldimension that is not subject to lithographic variation).

Turning now to a more detailed description of aspects of the presentinvention, FIGS. 1-11 depict cross-sectional views of an interconnectstructure 100 after an initial set of fabrication operations accordingto one or more embodiments of the invention. In FIG. 1, knownfabrication operations have been used to form the interconnect structure100 such that it includes a line feature 102, a line hard mask 104, andtrenches 106, configured and arranged as shown. While not shown for easeof discussion, the line feature 102 can be one of many lines in ametallization layer of an interconnect structure. The processesdescribed herein with respect to the line feature 102 can be used tocreate self-aligned vias in any of these metallization layers.

In some embodiments of the invention, the line feature 102 includes aconductive material formed or deposited in a trench of a metallizationlayer using known BEOL processes. In some embodiments of the invention,the line feature 102 is overfilled above a surface of the trench (notshown), forming overburdens that can be removed using, for example, achemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) process. The line feature 102can be made of any suitable conducting material, such as, for example,metal (e.g., tungsten, titanium, tantalum, ruthenium, zirconium, cobalt,copper, aluminum, platinum), alloys thereof (such as AlCu, CuMn, CuTi,or the like), conducting metallic compound material (e.g., tantalumnitride, titanium nitride, tantalum carbide, titanium carbide, titaniumaluminum carbide, tungsten silicide, tungsten nitride, cobalt silicide,nickel silicide), conductive carbon, or any suitable combination ofthese materials. In some embodiments of the invention, the line feature102 is a ruthenium line. The line feature 102 can be formed or depositedusing, for example, CVD, PECVD, PVD, sputtering, plating, chemicalsolution deposition, and electroless plating.

In some embodiments of the invention, the line hard mask 104 isdeposited or formed on a top surface of the line feature 102. The linehard mask 104 can be formed using any suitable process, such as chemicalvapor deposition (CVD), plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), ultrahigh vacuumchemical vapor deposition (UHVCVD), rapid thermal chemical vapordeposition (RTCVD), metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD),low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD), limited reactionprocessing CVD (LRPCVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), flowable CVD,spin-on dielectrics, physical vapor deposition (PVD), molecular beamepitaxy (MBE), chemical solution deposition, spin-on dielectrics, orother like process. The line hard mask 104 can be made of any suitabledielectric material, such as, for example, a low-k dielectric, anitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, SiON, SiC, SiOCN, or SiBCN. Insome embodiments of the invention, the line hard mask 104 is a siliconnitride or silicon oxide hard mask. In some embodiments of theinvention, the line hard mask 104 is formed to a thickness of about 10nm to about 60 nm, for example 30 nm, although other thicknesses arewithin the contemplated scope of the invention.

In some embodiments of the invention, the line hard mask 104 is formedover a plurality of line features (including the line feature 102). Insome embodiments of the invention, the line hard mask 104 is formed of asame material on all of the line features. In some embodiments of theinvention, even and odd line features can include a same or differentmaterial for the line hard mask 104. For example, an even line caninclude SiN and an odd line can include SiOx/SoG, or vice versa.

As further shown in FIG. 1, portions of the line feature 102 and theline hard mask 104 can be removed (cut or patterned) using alithographic process to form one or more trenches 106. In someembodiments of the invention, portions of the line feature 102 and theline hard mask 104 are removed using a wet etch, a dry etch, or acombination of sequential wet and/or dry etches. In some embodiments ofthe invention, portions of the line feature 102 and the line hard mask104 are removed using reactive ion etching (RIE). The positioning of thetrenches 106 (the line cuts) defines one or more line ends of the linefeature 102. As used herein, a line end refers to the portion (sidewall)of a line feature that is directly adjacent to a cut (e.g., the trenches106).

FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view of the interconnect structure 100after a processing operation according to one or more embodiments of theinvention. In some embodiments of the invention, the trenches 106 arefilled with a host material 202. As discussed previously, the hostmaterial can be selected to provide a suitable surface for a subsequentselective growth process (FIG. 6).

In some embodiments of the invention, the host material 202 is furtherselected to be a non-dielectric and wets removable. In some embodimentsof the invention, the host material 202 includes TiN, TiOx, TaN, etc. Insome embodiments of the invention, the host material 202 is overfilledabove a surface of the line hard mask 104, forming overburdens that canbe removed using, for example, CMP. The host material 202 can be formedor deposited in the trench 106 using, for example, CVD, PECVD, PVD,sputtering, plating, chemical solution deposition, and electrolessplating.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of the interconnect structure 100after a processing operation according to one or more embodiments of theinvention. In some embodiments of the invention, a lithographicallypatterned mask 302 is formed over the line hard mask 104. In someembodiments of the invention, the lithographically patterned mask 302 ispatterned to only cover portions of the line feature 102 near a line endwhere a via is desired.

FIG. 4 depicts a cross-sectional view of the interconnect structure 100after a processing operation according to one or more embodiments of theinvention. In some embodiments of the invention, a growth inhibitor 402is formed on portions of the line hard mask 104 exposed by thelithographically patterned mask 302. In some embodiments of theinvention, growth inhibitor material is selected such that the growthinhibitor 402 only forms on exposed dielectrics. In other words, thegrowth inhibitor 402 can be selectively formed on exposed portions ofthe line hard mask 104. In some embodiments of the invention, the hostmaterial 202 is a non-dielectric material, and the growth inhibitor 402leaves a surface of the host material 202 exposed.

In some embodiments of the invention, the growth inhibitor 402 willgraft onto a surface of the line hard mask 104 during a spin-coatingprocess. Examples of materials that do not bind to metal surfaces, butthat can be deposited onto dielectrics include self-assembled monolayers(e.g., carbon chain C6-C-18) or polymer brush materials (having amolecular weight of 1-10 k) designed with hydroxyl or aminefunctionality.

FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of the interconnect structure 100after a processing operation according to one or more embodiments of theinvention. In some embodiments of the invention, the lithographicallypatterned mask 302 is removed to expose a surface of the line hard mask104.

In some embodiments of the invention, the lithographically patternedmask 302 is removed using a wet etch, a dry etch, a combination ofsequential wet and/or dry etches, or a lithographic stripping process.In some embodiments of the invention, the lithographically patternedmask 302 is removed selective to the growth inhibitor 402, the line hardmask 104, and/or the host material 202.

FIG. 6 depicts a cross-sectional view of the interconnect structure 100after a processing operation according to one or more embodiments of theinvention. In some embodiments of the invention, a via mask 602 isformed (deposited) on an exposed surface of the host material 202. Insome embodiments of the invention, the via mask 602 can be a metal ordielectric material that is grown using a precise number of growthcycles selected to target a specific via dimension.

In some embodiments of the invention, the via mask 602 can include amaterial that will not grow on the growth inhibitor 402. In someembodiments of the invention, the via mask 602 can include a materialselected such that the via mask 602 will grow on the host material 202,but not on the growth inhibitor 402. Such materials can include,depending on the host material 202, TaN, TiN, Ta, Ti, W, etc. In thismanner, the growth inhibitor 402 will prevent the via mask 602 fromforming at line ends where a via is not needed.

FIG. 7 depicts a cross-sectional view of the interconnect structure 100after a processing operation according to one or more embodiments of theinvention. In some embodiments of the invention, the growth inhibitor402 is removed to expose a surface of the line hard mask 104.

In some embodiments of the invention, the growth inhibitor 402 isremoved using a wet etch, a dry etch, a combination of sequential wetand/or dry etches, a stripping process, or an ashing process. In someembodiments of the invention, the growth inhibitor 402 is removedselective to the via mask 602, the line hard mask 104, and/or the hostmaterial 202. In some embodiments of the invention, the growth inhibitor402 is selectively removed using an O₂/N₂—H₂ ash.

FIG. 8 depicts a cross-sectional view of the interconnect structure 100after a processing operation according to one or more embodiments of theinvention. In some embodiments of the invention, portions of the linefeature 102 and line hard mask 104 that are not covered by the via mask602 are recessed to form one or more self-aligned top vias 802 at theline ends where the via mask 602 was allowed to form (i.e., where notblocked by the growth inhibitor 402 as discussed with respect to FIGS. 5and 6).

Advantageously, the top vias 802 are formed by recessing the surface ofthe line feature 102 selective to the via mask 602. As a result,arbitrarily high aspect ratio (defined as height to width, or H/W) topvias can be formed at the line ends without causing critical dimensionvariations. The aspect ratio can range from nearly zero (very wide vias)to 5 or even 10 or more (very tall vias to extremely tall vias withrelatively small widths).

FIG. 9 depicts a cross-sectional view of the interconnect structure 100after a processing operation according to one or more embodiments of theinvention. In some embodiments of the invention, the via mask 602 isremoved to expose a surface of the line hard mask 104 and a surface ofthe host material 202. In some embodiments of the invention, the viamask 602 is removed using a wet etch, a dry etch, a combination ofsequential wet and/or dry etches, a stripping process, or an ashingprocess. In some embodiments of the invention, the via mask 602 isremoved selective to the line hard mask 104, the line feature 102,and/or the host material 202.

FIG. 10 depicts a cross-sectional view of the interconnect structure 100after a processing operation according to one or more embodiments of theinvention. In some embodiments of the invention, the line hard mask 104is removed to expose a surface of the top vias 802. In some embodimentsof the invention, the line hard mask 104 is removed using a wet etch, adry etch, a combination of sequential wet and/or dry etches. In someembodiments of the invention, the line hard mask 104 is removedselective to the line feature 102.

In some embodiments of the invention, the host material 202 remains inthe interconnect structure 100. As shown in FIG. 10, however, in someembodiments of the invention, the host material 202 is not compatiblewith the final product, and is optionally removed. In some embodimentsof the invention, the host material 202 is removed using a wet etch, adry etch, a combination of sequential wet and/or dry etches, a strippingprocess, or an ashing process. In some embodiments of the invention, thehost material 202 is removed selective to the line feature 102.

FIG. 11 depicts a cross-sectional view of the interconnect structure 100after a processing operation according to one or more embodiments of theinvention. In some embodiments of the invention, an interlayerdielectric 1102 can be formed over the interconnect structure 100. Theinterlayer dielectric 1102 serves as an isolation structure for thelines and vias of the interconnect structure 100. The interlayerdielectric 1102 can be made of any suitable dielectric material, suchas, for example, low-k dielectrics (materials having a small dielectricconstant relative to silicon dioxide, i.e., less than about 3.9),ultra-low-k dielectrics (materials having a dielectric constant lessthan 3), porous silicates, carbon doped oxides, silicon dioxides,silicon nitrides, silicon oxynitrides, silicon carbide (SiC), or otherdielectric materials. Any known manner of forming the interlayerdielectric 1102 can be utilized, such as, for example, CVD, PECVD, ALD,flowable CVD, spin-on dielectrics, or PVD. In some embodiments of theinvention, the interlayer dielectric 1102 is formed above a top surfaceof the top vias 802 and then planarized to a surface of the top vias 802using, for example, CMP.

FIG. 12 depicts a flow diagram 1200 illustrating a method for forming asemiconductor device according to one or more embodiments of theinvention. As shown at block 1202, a line feature is formed in ametallization layer of an interconnect structure. In some embodiments ofthe invention, the line feature includes a line hard mask. In someembodiments of the invention, the line feature includes a metal line.

At block 1204, a trench is formed in the line feature to expose lineends of the line feature. In some embodiments of the invention, formingthe trench includes removing portions of the line feature using an etch.

At block 1206, the trench is filled with a host material. In someembodiments of the invention, the host material is selected based on thevia mask (step 1210) to ensure that the via mask can selectively grow ona surface of the host material. In some embodiments of the invention,the host material is further selected to include a wets removablenon-dielectric material. In some embodiments of the invention, the hostmaterial includes titanium nitride or titanium oxide.

At block 1208, a growth inhibitor is formed over a first line end of theline feature. In some embodiments of the invention, the growth inhibitorprevents the via mask from growing at the first line end.

At block 1210, a via mask is formed over a second line end of the linefeature. In some embodiments of the invention, the via mask isselectively grown on an exposed surface of the host material. In someembodiments of the invention, the via mask is grown using a number ofgrowth cycles selected to target a predetermined top via dimension.

At block 1212, portions of the line feature that are not covered by thevia mask are recessed to define a self-aligned top via at the secondline end. In some embodiments of the invention, the line feature isrecessed such that a sidewall of the top via is coplanar to a sidewallof the second line end. In some embodiments of the invention, aplurality of top vias are formed on a respective plurality of line endsof the line feature. In some embodiments of the invention, each of thetop vias includes a sidewall coplanar to a respective line end. In someembodiments of the invention, one or more of the top vias are positionedover their respective line ends such that three of their planes areco-planar. In other words, two opposite sidewalls and the surfacecorresponding to the end wall of the top via can be coplanar to theopposite sidewalls and the end wall of the line end.

The method can further include forming a lithographic mask over the linehard mask. The lithographic mask can be patterned to expose the firstline end. In some embodiments of the invention, the growth inhibitor isformed on the exposed first line end. In some embodiments of theinvention, the growth inhibitor grafts to a surface of the line hardmask but not to a surface of the host material, leaving a surface of thehost material exposed.

In some embodiments of the invention, the via mask, the line hard mask,and the host material are replaced with an interlayer dielectric. Insome embodiments of the invention, the growth inhibitor is removed priorto recessing portions of the line feature.

FIG. 13 depicts a flow diagram 1300 illustrating a method for forming asemiconductor device according to one or more embodiments of theinvention. As shown at block 1302, a line feature is formed in ametallization layer. In some embodiments of the invention, the linefeature includes two or more line ends. At block 1304, a region betweena first line end and a second line end is filled with a host material.

At block 1306, a growth inhibitor is formed over the first line end. Insome embodiments of the invention, the growth inhibitor includes aself-assembled monolayer. In some embodiments of the invention, theself-assembled monolayer includes a C6-C-18 carbon chain. In someembodiments of the invention, the growth inhibitor includes a polymerhaving a molecular weight of about 1 to about 10,000. In someembodiments of the invention, the polymer includes hydroxyl or aminefunctional groups.

At block 1308, a via mask is selectively grown over an exposed surfaceof the host material. At block 1310, portions of the line feature thatare not covered by the via mask are recessed to define a self-alignedtop via at the second line end.

The methods and resulting structures described herein can be used in thefabrication of IC chips. The resulting IC chips can be distributed bythe fabricator in raw wafer form (that is, as a single wafer that hasmultiple unpackaged chips), as a bare die, or in a packaged form. In thelatter case the chip is mounted in a single chip package (such as aplastic carrier, with leads that are affixed to a motherboard or otherhigher level carrier) or in a multichip package (such as a ceramiccarrier that has either or both surface interconnections or buriedinterconnections). In any case the chip is then integrated with otherchips, discrete circuit elements, and/or other signal processing devicesas part of either (a) an intermediate product, such as a motherboard, or(b) an end product. The end product can be any product that includes ICchips, ranging from toys and other low-end applications to advancedcomputer products having a display, a keyboard or other input device,and a central processor.

Various embodiments of the present invention are described herein withreference to the related drawings. Alternative embodiments can bedevised without departing from the scope of this invention. Althoughvarious connections and positional relationships (e.g., over, below,adjacent, etc.) are set forth between elements in the followingdescription and in the drawings, persons skilled in the art willrecognize that many of the positional relationships described herein areorientation-independent when the described functionality is maintainedeven though the orientation is changed. These connections and/orpositional relationships, unless specified otherwise, can be direct orindirect, and the present invention is not intended to be limiting inthis respect. Similarly, the term “coupled” and variations thereofdescribes having a communications path between two elements and does notimply a direct connection between the elements with no interveningelements/connections between them. All of these variations areconsidered a part of the specification. Accordingly, a coupling ofentities can refer to either a direct or an indirect coupling, and apositional relationship between entities can be a direct or indirectpositional relationship. As an example of an indirect positionalrelationship, references in the present description to forming layer “A”over layer “B” include situations in which one or more intermediatelayers (e.g., layer “C”) is between layer “A” and layer “B” as long asthe relevant characteristics and functionalities of layer “A” and layer“B” are not substantially changed by the intermediate layer(s).

The following definitions and abbreviations are to be used for theinterpretation of the claims and the specification. As used herein, theterms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,”“having,” “contains” or “containing,” or any other variation thereof,are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, acomposition, a mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus thatcomprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only thoseelements but can include other elements not expressly listed or inherentto such composition, mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus.

Additionally, the term “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as anexample, instance or illustration.” Any embodiment or design describedherein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred oradvantageous over other embodiments or designs. The terms “at least one”and “one or more” are understood to include any integer number greaterthan or equal to one, i.e. one, two, three, four, etc. The terms “aplurality” are understood to include any integer number greater than orequal to two, i.e. two, three, four, five, etc. The term “connection”can include an indirect “connection” and a direct “connection.”

References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,”“an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment describedcan include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, butevery embodiment may or may not include the particular feature,structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarilyreferring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature,structure, or characteristic is described in connection with anembodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of oneskilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristicin connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitlydescribed.

For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms “upper,” “lower,”“right,” “left,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” andderivatives thereof shall relate to the described structures andmethods, as oriented in the drawing figures. The terms “overlying,”“atop,” “on top,” “positioned on” or “positioned atop” mean that a firstelement, such as a first structure, is present on a second element, suchas a second structure, wherein intervening elements such as an interfacestructure can be present between the first element and the secondelement. The term “direct contact” means that a first element, such as afirst structure, and a second element, such as a second structure, areconnected without any intermediary conducting, insulating orsemiconductor layers at the interface of the two elements.

Spatially relative terms, e.g., “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,”“upper,” and the like, are used herein for ease of description todescribe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) orfeature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that thespatially relative terms are intended to encompass differentorientations of the device in use or operation in addition to theorientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in thefigures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” otherelements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elementsor features. Thus, the term “below” can encompass both an orientation ofabove and below. The device can be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90degrees or at other orientations), and the spatially relativedescriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

The terms “about,” “substantially,” “approximately,” and variationsthereof, are intended to include the degree of error associated withmeasurement of the particular quantity based upon the equipmentavailable at the time of filing the application. For example, “about”can include a range of ±8% or 5%, or 2% of a given value.

The phrase “selective to,” such as, for example, “a first elementselective to a second element,” means that the first element can beetched and the second element can act as an etch stop.

The term “conformal” (e.g., a conformal layer or a conformal deposition)means that the thickness of the layer is substantially the same on allsurfaces, or that the thickness variation is less than 15% of thenominal thickness of the layer.

The terms “epitaxial growth and/or deposition” and “epitaxially formedand/or grown” mean the growth of a semiconductor material (crystallinematerial) on a deposition surface of another semiconductor material(crystalline material), in which the semiconductor material being grown(crystalline overlayer) has substantially the same crystallinecharacteristics as the semiconductor material of the deposition surface(seed material). In an epitaxial deposition process, the chemicalreactants provided by the source gases can be controlled and the systemparameters can be set so that the depositing atoms arrive at thedeposition surface of the semiconductor substrate with sufficient energyto move about on the surface such that the depositing atoms orientthemselves to the crystal arrangement of the atoms of the depositionsurface. An epitaxially grown semiconductor material can havesubstantially the same crystalline characteristics as the depositionsurface on which the epitaxially grown material is formed. For example,an epitaxially grown semiconductor material deposited on a {100}orientated crystalline surface can take on a {100} orientation. In someembodiments of the invention of the invention, epitaxial growth and/ordeposition processes can be selective to forming on semiconductorsurface, and may or may not deposit material on exposed surfaces, suchas silicon dioxide or silicon nitride surfaces.

As previously noted herein, for the sake of brevity, conventionaltechniques related to semiconductor device and integrated circuit (IC)fabrication may or may not be described in detail herein. By way ofbackground, however, a more general description of the semiconductordevice fabrication processes that can be utilized in implementing one ormore embodiments of the present invention will now be provided. Althoughspecific fabrication operations used in implementing one or moreembodiments of the present invention can be individually known, thedescribed combination of operations and/or resulting structures of thepresent invention are unique. Thus, the unique combination of theoperations described in connection with the fabrication of asemiconductor device according to the present invention utilize avariety of individually known physical and chemical processes performedon a semiconductor (e.g., silicon) substrate, some of which aredescribed in the immediately following paragraphs.

In general, the various processes used to form a micro-chip that will bepackaged into an IC fall into four general categories, namely, filmdeposition, removal/etching, semiconductor doping andpatterning/lithography. Deposition is any process that grows, coats, orotherwise transfers a material onto the wafer. Available technologiesinclude physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition(CVD), electrochemical deposition (ECD), molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)and more recently, atomic layer deposition (ALD) among others.Removal/etching is any process that removes material from the wafer.Examples include etch processes (either wet or dry), chemical-mechanicalplanarization (CMP), and the like. Reactive ion etching (RIE), forexample, is a type of dry etching that uses chemically reactive plasmato remove a material, such as a masked pattern of semiconductormaterial, by exposing the material to a bombardment of ions thatdislodge portions of the material from the exposed surface. The plasmais typically generated under low pressure (vacuum) by an electromagneticfield. Semiconductor doping is the modification of electrical propertiesby doping, for example, transistor sources and drains, generally bydiffusion and/or by ion implantation. These doping processes arefollowed by furnace annealing or by rapid thermal annealing (RTA).Annealing serves to activate the implanted dopants. Films of bothconductors (e.g., poly-silicon, aluminum, copper, etc.) and insulators(e.g., various forms of silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, etc.) are usedto connect and isolate transistors and their components. Selectivedoping of various regions of the semiconductor substrate allows theconductivity of the substrate to be changed with the application ofvoltage. By creating structures of these various components, millions oftransistors can be built and wired together to form the complexcircuitry of a modern microelectronic device. Semiconductor lithographyis the formation of three-dimensional relief images or patterns on thesemiconductor substrate for subsequent transfer of the pattern to thesubstrate. In semiconductor lithography, the patterns are formed by alight sensitive polymer called a photo-resist. To build the complexstructures that make up a transistor and the many wires that connect themillions of transistors of a circuit, lithography and etch patterntransfer steps are repeated multiple times. Each pattern being printedon the wafer is aligned to the previously formed patterns and slowly theconductors, insulators and selectively doped regions are built up toform the final device.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate possibleimplementations of fabrication and/or operation methods according tovarious embodiments of the present invention. Variousfunctions/operations of the method are represented in the flow diagramby blocks. In some alternative implementations, the functions noted inthe blocks can occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example,two blocks shown in succession can, in fact, be executed substantiallyconcurrently, or the blocks can sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality involved.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present inventionhave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments described. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the describedembodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain theprinciples of the embodiments, the practical application or technicalimprovement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodimentsdescribed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for forming a semiconductor device, themethod comprising: forming a line feature in a metallization layer of aninterconnect structure, the line feature comprising a line hard mask;forming a trench in the line feature to expose line ends of the linefeature; filling the trench with a host material; forming a growthinhibitor over a first line end of the line feature; forming a via maskover a second line end of the line feature, the via mask selectivelygrown on an exposed surface of the host material; and recessing portionsof the line feature that are not covered by the via mask to define aself-aligned top via at the second line end.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the via mask is grown using a number of growth cycles selectedto target a predetermined top via dimension.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein the growth inhibitor prevents the via mask from growing at thefirst line end.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the host material isselected based on the via mask to ensure that the via mask canselectively grow on a surface of the host material.
 5. The method ofclaim 4, wherein the host material is further selected to comprise awets removable non-dielectric material.
 6. The method of claim 5,wherein the host material comprises titanium nitride, titanium oxide, ortantalum nitride.
 7. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming alithographic mask over the line hard mask, the lithographic maskpatterned to expose the first line end.
 8. The method of claim 7,wherein the growth inhibitor is formed on the exposed first line end. 9.The method of claim 8, wherein the growth inhibitor grafts to a surfaceof the line hard mask but not to a surface of the host material, leavinga surface of the host material exposed.
 10. The method of claim 1further comprising replacing the via mask, the line hard mask, and thehost material with an interlayer dielectric.
 11. The method of claim 1,wherein forming the trench comprises removing portions of the linefeature using an etch.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the linefeature comprises a metal line.
 13. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising removing the growth inhibitor prior to recessing portions ofthe line feature.
 14. A method for forming an interconnect structure,the method comprising: forming a line feature in a metallization layer,the line feature comprising two or more line ends; filling a regionbetween a first line end and a second line end with a host material;forming a growth inhibitor over the first line end; selectively growinga via mask over an exposed surface of the host material; and recessingportions of the line feature that are not covered by the via mask todefine a self-aligned top via at the second line end.
 15. The method ofclaim 14, wherein the growth inhibitor comprises a self-assembledmonolayer.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the self-assembledmonolayer comprises a C6-C-18 carbon chain.
 17. The method of claim 14,wherein the growth inhibitor comprises a polymer having a molecularweight of about 1 to about 10,000.
 18. The method of claim 17, whereinthe polymer comprises hydroxyl or amine functional groups.
 19. Asemiconductor device comprising: a line feature in a metallization layerof an interconnect structure; and a plurality of self-aligned top viasformed at line ends of the line feature, the self-aligned top viascomprising a same critical dimension, the top vias positioned such thatthe line feature is between the top vias and a substrate; wherein thecritical dimension is invariant; and wherein the line feature and theself-aligned top vias are formed from a single layer of material. 20.The semiconductor device of claim 19, wherein the critical dimension ofthe self-aligned top vias is based on a number of growth cycles of a viamask.
 21. The semiconductor device of claim 19, wherein a sidewall of afirst self-aligned via is coplanar to a sidewall of a first line end.22. The semiconductor device of claim 19, wherein the line feature andthe plurality of self-aligned top vias comprise a same material.
 23. Asemiconductor device comprising: a line feature in a metallization layerof an interconnect structure, the line feature comprising a first lineend and a second line end; a trench adjacent to the first line end ofthe line feature, the trench comprising a host material; a first top viaformed at the first line end of the line feature, the first top viacomprising a first critical dimension, the first top via positioned suchthat the line feature is between the first top via and a substrate; anda second top via formed at the second line end of the line feature, thesecond top via comprising the first critical dimension, the second topvia positioned such that the line feature is between the second top viaand the substrate; wherein the first critical dimension is invariant.24. The semiconductor device of claim 23, wherein the host materialcomprises at least one of titanium nitride, titanium oxide, and tantalumnitride.
 25. The semiconductor device of claim 23, wherein a sidewall ofthe first top via is coplanar to a sidewall of the first line end and asidewall of the second top via is coplanar to a sidewall of the secondline end.